— PNC/R chair, James Bond condemn violence, blockage of roadways

FORMER President, David Granger, and Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, in their recent visit to West Coast Berbice (WCB), created an atmosphere of suspicions leading to racial polarisation, attacks, loss of lives and damage to property, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn said.
Minister Benn made the comments on the deteriorating situation on WCB in a statement on Wednesday. He said the escalation in violence rest squarely at the doors of the two known APNU leaders.

“The emergence of these political vultures and associated criminal opportunists have led to a deteriorating spiral in safety and security in the areas. Granger and Harmon bear the prime responsibility for the escalation in violence, injuries and death,” the home affairs minister said.
The Guyana Police Force, he said, is working hard to resolve what is clearly a criminal matter.

“The Joint Services are increasing their efforts to restore calm to the affected areas. Only emergency and essential travel is recommended and that with the support of the police,” he said.

Minister Benn also said that the murder and mutilation of Isiah and Joel Henry remain a heinous crime which has been condemned all across Guyana.
The father of the murdered youths has repeatedly said that he will not support attacks on people of other races, among whom he has blood relations and friends, but wants the police to provide justice for his family.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Volda Lawrence, on Wednesday, condemned the murder of 17-year-old Haresh Singh. Singh was killed as protests escalated over the murders of Isaiah and Joel Henry.
The former minister said the killings are “gruesome and barbaric” and she is hurt and angry over what has happened.
“I learnt of the death of a 17-year-old, not so long ago and it is claimed that he is associated with the person in custody. I want to offer my sincere condolences to the family. We’re not a people who kill our children, we’re not a people who maim each other, we’re not barbarians, we’re Guyanese,” Lawrence said in a live video posted on Facebook.

UNACCEPTABLE

The former health minister said she will not support or condone the blocking off of roadways during protest action.
“We are hurting each other as a people, we are hurting each other as neighbours and friends and we are turning on each other as though we don’t know each other and as a leader, we have to call a spade a spade. We’re asking for justice, we’re also asking for peace, pull away the things from in the middle of the road, we can do things differently, we can send our message differently,” she said.

Lawrence issued a call for “every single member of the People’s National Congress Reform, irrespective of your status” to stop the carnage since “we certainly can display our grief in a different manner. Stop, stop, this is hurting us… this will not solve our problems, our problems will get deeper and wider and we still will not solve it.”
The PNC/R chairman also called on religious leaders to stand up and assist in calling for peace and justice.

Lawrence said justice is needed for all three of the teens who were murdered. Subsequent to Lawrence’s Facebook post, Prittipaul Hargobin, 34, known as “Roy”, a resident of Block BI Bath Settlement, was also beaten to death during a confrontation with protesters blocking the roadway.
PNC/R member, James Bond, in a Facebook Live condemned the violence, assault and burning of property.

“Persons who are doing these acts are not doing justice to the memory and lives of the four black men that lost their lives within a month, you are absolutely not representing the cause, we can protest, but let us bring an end to the violence that is happening on the roadways and communities,” Bond said.